The 2016 Australian Census will no doubt go down in history as a case study on how not to run a major government project. Benighted by errors of both technology and public relations, you could easily be fooled for thinking it was all a false flag operation by right-wing opponents of the census.
But as the boffins picks through the wreckage, you an rest assured that everything that could have been done to make sure the whole process went smoothly was absolutely done. Such as the Opera House being lit up green for a princely sum of $200,000.
Internal documents obtained by the ABC show it cost $192,000 for setup, equipment hire, management and support in making the building go green. It was lit up for two nights, and featured no Census branding, or any reference to the website or a social media hashtag.
Chief statistician David Kalisch wrote in the document that it would be a major public operations opportunity, and that it would “maximise awareness and engagement with the census, and help create a national conversation.” Spoiler alert: it did not.
So the Opera House was just green for two nights. If you looked at it you could be fooled into thinking it was a St Patrick’s Day thing or something.
Ahh, very good. We’ll see you in five years for the next one.
Source: ABC.
Photo: Craig Loxley.
